Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leni Acosta Knight. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Leni Acosta, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
I donate most of the proceeds from the sale of my art to humanitarian programs, most specifically to the Women and Children Cancer Center here in Hawaii. As a cancer survivor, I am dedicated to helping others who are battling the disease and I am also currently participating in the cancer research to identify cancer relapse earlier than standard care tools through Signatera™, a highly sensitive and personalized molecular residual disease assay (MRD). In addition to supporting cancer programs, I am and have been donating portion of art proceeds to projects that aim towards the prevention of human trafficking, sexual and domestic abuse. I define my genre as a blend of abstract expressionism and classical realism which allow me to express themes drawn from my life experiences and which are relatable to most of my viewers. It gives me gratification and it is rewarding to be able to give hope and faith to those who are experiencing trials and tribulations in life.
Leni Acosta, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am fascinated by the interconnectivity of the universe and the complexities of the human mind and spirit. Mythology, psychology, philosophy and physics inspire me to paint. I was born in the Philippines and migrated to the United States when I was 16 during the regime of Dictator Ferdinand Marcos. I experienced intense grief when my very first boyfriend was brutally murdered by the government military. It was then I started writing poems, but I never considered art would be my career. When I was 19, my father sent some very rough pencil sketches to Art Instruction Schools (where the famous cartoonist Charles Schultz taught at one point). I passed a battery of test and got a scholarship but I quit after a few months. Then over a span of over twenty years, I dove into the world of commercial real estate, finance and commodities which took me to travel over 10 countries in five continents. In 2015, after a failed gold business venture in Sierra Leone, Africa, I started to write poetry and paint to heal. Little did I know, it would blossom into a successful career as a professional artist. My work has been exhibited in Milan, Italy; Paris, France; Crete, Greece; Insbruck Austria; and most recently as this week, August 25-26, in Monaco. Maybe– what sets me apart from others is I don’t copy and paint, but paint that which is invisible. I hope to empower those who seek deeper meanings beyond the lines and curves you see on my canvas. I strive to show that there is a hero or heroine in all of us.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
A journey from experiencing death of a love one at an early age, a divorce and a battle with breast cancer.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Books: The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell
The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell
Art Is a Way of Knowing by Pat Allen
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli
You are the Universe by Means Kafatos
and many others
Contact Info:
- Website: leniknight.com
- Instagram: leni_acosta_knight
- Facebook: Leni Marie Acosta Knight
- Youtube: go to www.leniknight.com click videos
Image Credits
Adriel Bencosme